U.S. patent application number 09/855586 was filed with the patent office on 2002-02-07 for image forming system and device used with the same.
Invention is credited to Tominaga, Masahiko.
Application Number | 20020015180 09/855586 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26592914 |
Filed Date | 2002-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020015180 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tominaga, Masahiko |
February 7, 2002 |
Image forming system and device used with the same
Abstract
An image forming system includes a server and client computers
connected to a network, one or a plurality of image forming devices
connected to either the network or the server, and devices of which
one or a plurality can be connected to the server and which can be
recognized by the server. The system holds the number of image
forming devices set as output destinations, recognizes the presence
of connected devices and the number thereof connected, and compares
the number N of devices connected to the server that have been
recognized and the number M of image forming devices already set as
output destinations at the time of setting the image forming
devices as output destinations. Thus, unauthorized use of image
processing software operating on image forming devices for
generating image data to be supplied to image forming devices, can
be prevented.
Inventors: |
Tominaga, Masahiko;
(Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Family ID: |
26592914 |
Appl. No.: |
09/855586 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.15 ;
358/1.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/121 20130101;
G06F 3/1253 20130101; G06F 3/1288 20130101; G06F 3/1205 20130101;
G06F 3/1224 20130101; G06F 3/1259 20130101; G06F 3/1229 20130101;
G06F 3/1236 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.15 ;
358/1.13 |
International
Class: |
G06K 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 30, 2000 |
JP |
160311/2000 |
May 8, 2001 |
JP |
137313/2001 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An image forming system including a server and client computers
connected to a network, one or a plurality of image forming devices
connected to either the network or the server, and devices of which
one or a plurality can be connected to the server and which can be
recognized by the server, said system comprising: input means for
inputting to the server a job to be printed by an image forming
device; rendering means for rendering the job input by said input
means into an image; output means for outputting an image rendered
by said rendering means to an image forming device specified by the
job; setting means for setting the specified image forming device
as an output destination at the server; output destination
information holding means for holding a number of image forming
devices set as output destinations by said setting means;
recognizing means for recognizing a presence of devices connected
to the server, and a number thereof connected; and comparison means
for comparing a number N of the devices connected to the server
that have been recognized by said recognizing means, and a number M
of image forming devices already set as output destinations by said
holding means, when the specified image forming device is set as an
output destination by said setting means.
2. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein, in an
event that said comparison means judges M to be less than N,
setting of the specified image forming device as the output
destination is permitted, and the number of image forming devices
set as output destinations held by said holding means is updated,
and, in an event that said comparison means judges N and M to be
equal, setting of the specified image forming device as the output
destination is not permitted.
3. An image forming system including a server and client computers
connected to a network, one or a plurality of image forming devices
connected to either the network or the server, and devices of which
one or a plurality can be connected to the server and which can be
recognized by the server, said system comprising: input means for
inputting to said the server a job to be printed by an image
forming device; rendering means for rendering the job inputted by
said input means into an image; output means for outputting an
image rendered by said rendering means to an image forming device
specified by the job; setting means for setting the specified image
forming device as an output destination at the server; output
destination information holding means for holding a number of image
forming devices set as output destinations by said setting means;
and recognizing means for recognizing a presence of devices
connected to the server and a number thereof connected, wherein the
server constantly or periodically recognizes the number of devices
connected to the server using said recognizing means, and compares
a number n of recognized devices with a number m of image forming
devices set as output destinations held in said output destination
information holding means, and, in an event that n is judged to be
less than m, a number of image forming devices for distributing and
outputting jobs is restricted to at most the number n of recognized
devices, or no jobs are output.
4. A device which can be recognized by a server connected to a
network, for controlling use of software by devices connected to
the network, said device comprising: communicating means for
communicating data with the server; and storing means for storing
data used by the server to permit use of the software.
5. An image processing device for outputting image data to a
plurality of image forming devices, said image processing device
comprising: input means for inputting an image forming job, wherein
one of the plurality of image forming devices is specified as an
output destination; image processing means for generating image
data for the specified image forming device based on the image
forming job; image output means for outputting image data generated
by said image processing means to the specified image forming
device; connecting means for connecting to one or a plurality of
devices; and control means for restricting a number of image
forming devices capable of receiving image data outputted from said
image output means, of the plurality of image forming devices,
based on a number of devices connected to said connecting
means.
6. An image processing device according to claim 5, wherein, in an
event that the number of devices connected to said connecting means
is less than a number of the plurality of image forming devices,
said control means selects a number of image forming devices
corresponding to a difference in these numbers, and forbids image
data outputted from said image output means from going to the
selected image forming devices.
7. An image processing device according to claim 5, wherein in an
event that sending image data from said image output means to an
image forming device is forbidden, said control means notifies an
originator of the image forming job to that effect.
8. An image processing device according to claim 5, wherein the
image forming job includes PDL data inputted from computer devices
via networks.
9. An image processing device according to claim 5, wherein the
image forming job includes image data read by scanners.
10. An image processing device according to claim 5, further
comprising obtaining means for obtaining data indicating a type of
image forming device set for each device connected to said
connecting means, wherein said control means counts a number of
devices per type of image forming device, and restricts by type of
image forming device a number of image forming devices capable of
producing an output for said image output means.
11. An image processing device according to claim 10, wherein, in
an event that the specified image forming device is a predetermined
type, said control means does not restrict the number of image
forming devices capable of producing an output for said image
output means.
12. An image processing method for outputting image data to a
plurality of image forming devices, said method comprising: an
input step of inputting an image forming job, wherein one of the
plurality of image forming devices is specified as an output
destination; an image processing step of generating image data
corresponding to the specified image forming device based on the
image forming job; an image output step of outputting image data
generated in said image processing step to the specified image
forming device; an identifying step of identifying one or a
plurality of devices connected to a predetermined interface; and a
control step of restricting a number of image forming devices
capable of outputting in said image output step, of the plurality
of image forming devices, based on a number of devices
connected.
13. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein, in
an event that the number of devices connected is less than a number
of said plurality of image forming devices, said control step
selects a number of image forming devices corresponding to a
difference in those numbers from the plurality of image forming
devices, and forbids image data outputted in said image output step
from going to the selected image forming devices.
14. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein in an
event that sending image data outputted in said image output step
to the specified image forming device is forbidden, said control
step notifies an originator of the image forming job to that
effect.
15. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the
image forming job includes PDL data inputted from computer devices
via networks.
16. An image processing method according to claim 12, wherein the
image forming job includes image data read by scanners.
17. An image processing method according to claim 12, further
comprising an obtaining step for obtaining data indicating a type
of image forming device set for each connected device identified in
said identifying step, wherein said control step counts a number of
devices per type of image forming device, and restricts by type of
image forming device a number of image forming devices capable of
producing an output in said image output step.
18. An image processing method according to claim 17, wherein, in
an event that the specified image forming device is a predetermined
type, said control step does not restrict the number of image
forming devices capable of producing an output in said image output
step.
19. A computer program executed by a computer of an image
processing device for implementing a method of outputting image
data to a plurality of image forming devices, said computer program
comprising: code of an input step of inputting an image forming
job, wherein one of the plurality of image forming devices is
specified as an output destination; code of an image processing
step of generating image data corresponding to the specified image
forming device based on the image forming job; code of an image
output step of outputting image data generated in the image
processing step to the specified image forming device; code of an
identifying step of identifying one or a plurality of devices
connected to a predetermined interface; and code of a control step
for restricting a number of image forming devices capable of
receiving image data outputted in said image output step, of the
plurality of image forming devices, based on a number of devices
connected.
20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program
according to claim 19.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an image forming system
comprising, for example, a document server, clients, and image
forming devices, and to devices used with the image forming
system.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, users have performed image forming by
selecting a desired printer from a computer and causing the
selected printer to print a certain job via an general-purpose
interface such as a LAN or an interface using dedicated
hardware.
[0005] Also, a system called server-client, wherein jobs of client
users are sent to printers via a document server, is also widely
known.
[0006] Further, in recent years, cases wherein image forming
devices print great numbers of jobs from a computer in a
light-printing market called print-on-demand are increasing, so
means for printing great numbers of jobs as efficiently as possible
are in demand.
[0007] To this end, a server capable of handling great numbers of
jobs and multiple image forming devices connected thereto are
necessary, since having one job printed by one image forming device
is inefficient. Also, when performing great numbers of prints,
there is the need to manage and efficiently operate the state of
multiple image forming devices, thus necessitating a
high-performance controller. Accordingly, systems are being built
wherein high-performance computers are used as servers, with the
computer also having controller functions.
[0008] However, server functions and controller functions provided
by computers are often of software configurations. Also, when the
computer and image forming devices are connected by a
general-purpose interface, copying software to other computers
allows server functions and controller functions to be provided to
the computer without authorization, which can then print with the
image forming devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
effectively prevent illegitimate use of software having server
functions and controller functions.
[0010] To solve the above-described problems, an image forming
system according to the present invention is an image forming
system that includes a server and client computers connected to a
network, one or a plurality of image forming devices connected to
either the network or the server, and devices of which one or a
plurality can be connected to the server and which can be
recognized by the server. The system comprises: means for inputting
to the server jobs to be printed by an image forming device; means
for rendering jobs input by the input means into images; means for
outputting images rendered by the rendering means to an image
forming device specified by the job; means for setting the image
forming device as the output destination at the server; output
destination information holding means for holding a number of image
forming devices set as the output destination by the setting means;
means for recognizing the presence of connected devices, and the
number N thereof connected; and means for comparing the number N of
the devices connected to the server that have been recognized by
the recognizing means, and a number M of image forming devices
already set as output destinations by the holding means, at the
time of setting the image forming devices as an output destination
with the setting means.
[0011] Also, a device according to the present invention is a
device which can be recognized by a server connected to a network,
for controlling use of software by devices connected to the
network. The device comprises: communicating means for
communicating data with the server; and storing means for storing
data used by the server to permit use of the software.
[0012] Further objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description of
the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the overall system
of the present invention and a conventional example,
respectively;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an overall block diagram of an image forming
device;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the scanner unit of an
image forming device;
[0016] FIGS. 4A and 4B are block diagrams of the scanner IP unit of
an image forming device;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the facsimile unit of an image
forming device;
[0018] FIGS. 6A and 6B are block diagrams of the NIC unit and core
unit of an image forming device;
[0019] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating the printer IP
unit of an image forming device;
[0020] FIGS. 8A and 8B are block diagrams of the PWM unit of an
image forming device;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the printer unit of a color
image forming device;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the printer unit of a B/W
image forming device;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a finisher unit of an
image forming device;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a job flowchart within the document server
according to the present invention;
[0025] FIGS. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of
PDL data description and the state following raster rendering of
PDL data;
[0026] FIGS. 14A and 14B are diagrams illustrating a network
environment and network data transfer;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a block diagram of a protector;
[0028] FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for a
scanner driver;
[0029] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for
printer settings;
[0030] FIG. 18 is another diagram illustrating an example screen
for printer settings;
[0031] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for a
printer driver;
[0032] FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for a
job submitter;
[0033] FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for a
job ticket;
[0034] FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for
device status;
[0035] FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for job
status;
[0036] FIG. 24 is a flowchart of splitting a job with mixed color
and B/W;
[0037] FIGS. 25A through 25C are flowcharts illustrating adding
printer settings, changing printer settings, and deleting printer
settings;
[0038] FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output
device managing table;
[0039] FIG. 27 us a diagram illustrating an example screen for
printer settings in the event that there are not enough
licenses;
[0040] FIGS. 28A and 28B are flowcharts for the output device
control unit according to a second embodiment at the time of
executing jobs;
[0041] FIG. 29 is a diagram illustrating an example of and output
device management table according to the second embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for the
device status according to the second embodiment; and
[0043] FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating an example screen for the
job status according to the second embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] (First Embodiment)
[0045] <Description of the Overall System>
[0046] FIG. 1A is a schematic view of the system according to an
embodiment of the present invention, compared with a conventional
comparative example shown in FIG. 1B.
[0047] In order to give performance priority, the system shown in
FIG. 1A divides the network 101 shown in FIG. 1B into two systems,
which will be referred to as a public network 101a and a private
network 101b.
[0048] A document server 102 has network interface cards (NICs) for
the hardware of the two systems, one being a NIC 111 connected to
the public network 101a and the other being a NIC 112 connected to
the private network 101b to be connected to the printer side.
[0049] Computers 103a, 103b, and 103c are clients for sending jobs
to the document server. Though not shown, a great many more clients
are connected. Hereafter, the clients will be representatively be
denoted by reference numeral 103.
[0050] Further connected to the private network 101b are MFPs
(Multi-Function Peripherals) 105a-105d and a printer 107. The MFPs
105a-105d are MFPs that perform monochrome scanning, printing, or
low-resolution or binary simple color scanning, color printing, and
so forth. Also, though not shown in the drawing, many more MFPs
other than the above are connected to the private network 101b,
along with scanners, printers, facsimile devices, and so forth.
[0051] The MFP 104 is a full-color MFP, which is capable of
performing high-resolution, high gradient full-color scanning,
printing, etc., and may be connected to the private network 101b to
exchange data. However, because the amount of data can be great, in
this arrangement the MFP 104 is provided with an independent
interface to allow simultaneous exchange of multiple bits, and so
as to be connected to the document server 102 by its own interface
card 113.
[0052] Also, the scanners 106a-106b are devices for taking in
images from sheet documents. There are two types of the scanners, a
type 106b, which is connected by a SCSI interface, and a type 106a,
which is connected to the public network 101a (or to the private
network 101b).
[0053] The hardware configuration of the document server 102 is
such that an interface called a PCI bus is connected to a part
called a motherboard, which has CPUs, memory, and so forth, and
which is connected to the above-described NICs 111 and 112, a
dedicated interface card 113, a SCSI card 114, and so forth.
[0054] Further, the document server 102 is provided with a
server-side protector interface 115, to which an arbitrary number
of protectors 116a-116c which are devices to which the document
server 102 is capable of connection and recognizing the number
thereof.
[0055] The server-side protector interface 115 is configured of a
general-purpose serial/parallel interface and driver programs for
exchanging information with the protectors via the general-purpose
interface.
[0056] Application software, which realizes so-called DTP (DeskTop
Publishing), is operated on the client computer 103, such that
various types of documents and graphics are created and/or edited.
The documents and graphics created with the client computer 103 are
converted into a PDL (Page Description Language), and printed by
being sent to MFPs 104 or 105 via the network 101a.
[0057] The MFPs 104 and 105 each have communicating means capable
of exchanging information with the document server 102 and the
network 101b or with a dedicated interface 109, and information
regarding the state of the MFPs 104 and 105 is continuously
notified to the document server 102 or to the client computer 103
side via the document server 102. Further, the document server 102
(or the client 103) has utility software, which operates upon
receiving such information, so that the MFPs 104 and 105 are
managed by the document server 102 (or the client 103).
[0058] <Configuration of MFPs 104 and 105>
[0059] Next, the configuration of the MFPs 104 and 105 will be
described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 11. Note, however, that
the difference between MFPs 104 and 105 is monochrome or
full-color, and often the full-color device encompasses the
configuration of the B/W device except for the matter of color, so
description will be made here with reference to the full-color
device, and description of the B/W device will be added as
necessary on occasion.
[0060] The MFPs 104 and 105 include a scanner unit 201 for reading
in image information and a scanner IP unit 202 for subjecting the
image data to image processing, a facsimile unit 203 such as a
facsimile device for exchanging the images using telephone lines,
and further include a NIC (Network Interface Card) unit 204 for
exchanging image data and information using the network, and a
dedicated interface unit 205 which performs information exchange
with the full-color MFP 104. Depending on how the MFPs 104 and 105
are used, the core unit 206 temporarily saves the image signals or
determines the path thereof.
[0061] Next, image data output from the core unit 206 is sent to a
printer IP unit 207 and a printer unit 209, which performs image
forming via the PWM unit 208. The sheets printed out at the printer
unit 209 are sent to the finisher unit 210, where sheets are sorted
and finished.
[0062] <Configuration of the Scanner Unit 201>
[0063] The configuration of the scanner unit 201 will be described
with reference to FIG. 3. Reference numeral 301 denotes an original
document table glass, upon which original documents 302 to be read
are placed. An original document 302 is irradiated by light from an
illuminating lamp 303, and the reflected light therefrom is imaged
on a CCD 308 by a lens 307, via mirrors 304, 305, and 306. A first
mirror unit 310 containing the mirror 304 and illuminating lamp 303
moves at a speed v, and a second mirror unit 311 containing the
mirrors 305 and 306 moves at a speed {fraction (1/2)} v, thereby
scanning the entire face of the original document 302. The first
mirror unit 310 and the second mirror unit 311 are driven by a
motor 309.
[0064] <Configuration of the Scanner IP Unit 202>
[0065] The scanner IP unit 202 will be described with reference to
FIG. 4A. Input optical signals are converted into electric signals
by the CCD sensor 308.
[0066] The CCD sensor 308 is a line color sensor of RGB3, and the
signals are input to an A/D converter 401 as image signals of R, G,
and B. Here, following adjustment of gain and adjustment of offset,
each of the color signals are converted into 8-bit digital image
signals RO, GO, and BO, with the A/D converter. Subsequently, known
shading correction using signals read from a reference white plate
is performed for each of the colors, at the shading correction unit
402. Further, the liner sensors for each color of the CCD sensor
308 are positioned with predetermined mutual spacing therebetween,
so the spatial offset in the sub-scanning direction is corrected
with the line delay adjusting circuit (line interpolating unit)
403.
[0067] Next, the input masking unit 404 is a unit which converts
read color space determined by spectral properties of the R, G, and
B filters of the CCD sensor 308 into standard NTSC color space,
wherein 3.times.3 matrix computation using constants unique to the
device taking into consideration the sensitivity
properties/illumination lamp spectral properties and other such
properties of the CCD sensor is performed, and the input (RO, GO,
and BO) signals are converted into standard (R, G, B) signals.
[0068] Further, a brightness/concentration converting unit (LOG
converting unit) 405 is configured of lookup table (LUT) RAM, and
the RGB brightness signals are converted so as to become C1, M1,
and Y1 concentration signals.
[0069] In the event of performing monochrome image processing with
the MFP 105, a monochromatic 1-line CCD sensor 308 is used
according to FIG. 4B, using an A/D conversion unit 401 and a
shading unit 402 in monochrome, and then sending the signals to the
core unit 206.
[0070] <Configuration of the Facsimile Unit 203>
[0071] Description will be made regarding the facsimile unit 203
with reference to FIG. 5. First, at the time of receiving, data
coming from the telephone line is received with a NCU unit 501 and
subjected to voltage conversion, A/D conversion and demodulation at
a demodulating unit 504 within a modem unit 502, and then rendered
into raster data at an expanding unit 506. Generally, run-length or
the like is used for compression and expansion for facsimiles. The
image converted into raster data is temporarily stored in a memory
unit 507, and then, once confirmation is made that there are no
transfer errors in the image data, the image is sent to the core
unit 206.
[0072] Next, at the time of transmitting, compression such as
run-length is performed on the raster image signals from the core
unit with a compressing unit 505, and, following performing D/A
conversion and modulation with a modulating unit 503 within the
modem 502, the data is sent to the telephone line via the NCU unit
501.
[0073] <Configuration of the NIC Unit 204>
[0074] Next, the NIC unit 204 will be described with reference to
FIG. 6A. It is this NIC unit 204 which has the interface functions
with the network 101, and serves to obtain external information
using Ethernet cables or the like of 10Base-T/100Base-TX, for
example, and sending information out externally.
[0075] In the event of obtaining external information, first,
voltage conversion is made at the transformer 601, and the
information is sent to the LAN controller unit 602. The LAN
controller unit 602 has a first buffer memory (not shown) therein,
and upon making judgment whether or not the information is
necessary information, the information is sent to a second buffer
memory (not shown), and then signals are sent to the core unit
206.
[0076] Next, in the event of providing information externally, the
data sent to the core unit 206 is subjected to adding of necessary
information at the LAN controller unit 602, and connection is made
to the network 101 via the transformer unit 601.
[0077] <Configuration of Dedicated Interface Unit 205>
[0078] The dedicated interface unit 205 is an interface wherein
multi-value bits of C, M, Y, and K are each sent in parallel at an
interface portion with the full-color MFP 104, the image data being
of 4 colors by 8 bits, via communication lines. In the event that
transmission is made by Ethernet, output cannot be made at speeds
appropriate for the MFP 104, and the performance of other devices
connected to the network will also suffer. Therefore, such a
dedicated parallel interface is used.
[0079] <Configuration of the Core Unit 206>
[0080] The core unit 206 will be described with reference to FIG.
6B. A bus selector unit 611 of the core unit 206 serves as a
traffic director for using the MFPs 104 and 105. That is to say,
this is the place where the bus is switched according to the
functions of the MFPs 104 and 105, such as photocopy functions,
network scanning, network printer, facsimile
transmission/reception, displaying, etc.
[0081] The following illustrates path switching patterns for
executing the functions.
[0082] Photocopy functions: scanner 201; core 206; printer 209
[0083] Network scanning: scanner 201; core 206; NIC unit 204
[0084] Network printing: NIC unit 204, core 206; printer 209
[0085] Facsimile transmission functions: scanner 201; core 206;
facsimile unit 203
[0086] Facsimile reception functions: facsimile unit 203; core 206;
printer 209
[0087] Next, the image data from the bus selector unit 611 is sent
to the printer unit 209 via the compression unit 612, a memory unit
613 made up of large-capacity memory such as a hard disk (HDD), and
the expanding unit 614. Generally-used compression formats such as
JPEG, JBIG, ZIP, etc., can be used for the compression method
carried out at the compression unit 612. The compressed image data
is managed by individual job, and is stored along with added data
such as file name, creator, date of creation, file size, and so
forth.
[0088] Further, providing a job number and a password, and sorting
the data with these allows personal box functions to be supported
as well. This is a function for temporarily saving data and
allowing printing out (reading out from the HDD) by only particular
individuals. In the event that printing out of a job stored therein
is instructed, verification is made by password following which the
job is retrieved from the memory unit 613, image expanding is
performed to return it to a raster image, and then sent to the
printer unit 207.
[0089] <Configuration of the Printer IP Unit 207>
[0090] In FIGS. 7A and 7B, reference numeral 701 denotes an output
masking/UCR circuit unit, where M1, C1, and Y1 signals are
converted by matrix computation into Y, M, C, and K signals which
are the toner colors of the image forming device, and the C1, M1,
Y1, and K1 signals based on the RGB signals read in with the CCD
sensor 308 are converted into C, M, Y, and K signals based on the
spectral distribution properties of the toner, and then output.
[0091] Next, at a gamma converting unit 702, data is converted into
C, Y, M, and K data for image output using a lookup table (LUT) RAM
taking the color properties of the toner into consideration, and
following sharpness or smoothing processing at the spatial filter
703, the image signals are sent to the core unit 206.
[0092] <Configuration of the PWM Unit 208>
[0093] The PWM unit 208 will be described with reference to FIG. 8.
The image data from the printer IP unit 207 divided into the four
colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K)
(monochrome in the case of the MFP 105) passes through the PWM unit
208, forming images for each. Reference numeral 801 denotes a
triangular wave generating unit, and 802 denotes a D/A converter
(D/A converting unit) for converting the input digital image
signals into analog signals. Signals from the triangular wave
generating unit 801 (8-2a) and signals from the D/A converter 802
(8-2b) are compared by the comparator 803 regarding the magnitude
thereof, and are turned into signals such as (8-2c) and sent to the
laser driving unit 804, where each of the CMYK colors are converted
into laser beams of lasers 805 for each of CMYK.
[0094] Then, the respective laser beams are scanned at a polygon
scanner 913, and irradiated on photosensitive drums 917, 921, 925,
and 929.
[0095] <Configuration of Printer Unit 209 (Case of Color MFP
104)>
[0096] FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of the color printer unit.
Reference numeral 913 denotes a polygon mirror, which receives four
laser beams irradiated from four semiconductor lasers 805. One of
these scans the photosensitive drum 917 via the mirrors 914, 915,
and 916, another of these scans the photosensitive drum 921 via the
mirrors 918, 919, and 920, another of these scans the
photosensitive drum 925 via the mirrors 922, 923, and 924, and
another of these scans the photosensitive drum 929 via the mirrors
926, 927, and 928.
[0097] On the other hand, reference numeral 930 denotes a developer
that supplies yellow (Y) toner, which forms a yellow toner image on
the photosensitive drum 917 according to the laser beam, reference
numeral 931 denotes a developer that supplies magenta (M) toner,
which forms a magenta toner image on the photosensitive drum 921
according to the laser beam, reference numeral 932 denotes a
developer that supplies cyan (C) toner, which forms a cyan toner
image on the photosensitive drum 925 according to the laser beam,
and reference numeral 933 denotes a developer that supplies black
(K) toner, which forms a black toner image on the photosensitive
drum 929 according to the laser beam. These four colors (Y, M, C,
and K) toner images are transferred onto a sheet, thus obtaining a
full-color output image.
[0098] Sheets fed from a sheet cassette 934 or 935 or a hand-feed
tray 936 pass over a resister roller 937 and are adhered to a
transfer belt 938, and thus transported. The toner images of each
of the colors are formed on the photosensitive drums 917, 921, 925,
and 929, beforehand, synchronously with the sheet feeding timing,
and the toner is transferred onto the sheets as the sheets are
transported. The sheets to which the toner of each color is
transferred are separated, transported by a transporting belt 939,
and toner is fixed onto the sheets by a fixing unit 940. The
sheets, upon exiting the fixing unit 940 are guided downwards by a
flapper, and following the trailing end passing the flapper, the
sheets are switched back and discharged. Thus, the sheets are
discharged in a face-down state, and the pages are in order in the
event of printing in order of pages.
[0099] The four photosensitive drums 917, 921, 925, and 929 are
positioned with equal spacing therebetween, a distance d, the
sheets are transported at a constant speed v by a transporting belt
939, synchronizing is performed for this timing, and the four
semiconductor lasers 805 are thus driven.
[0100] <Configuration of Printer Unit 209 (Case of Monochrome
MFP 105)>
[0101] FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the monochrome printer
unit. Reference numeral 1013 denotes a polygon mirror, which
receives laser beams emitted by four semiconductor lasers 805. The
laser beams are scanned on the photosensitive drum 1017 via the
mirrors 1014, 1015, and 1016. On the other hand, reference numeral
1030 denotes a developer for supplying black toner, which forms a
toner image on the photosensitive drum 1017 according to the laser
beams, whereby the toner image is transferred onto the sheet, thus
allowing an output image to be obtained.
[0102] The sheets fed from one of sheet cassettes 1034 or 1035 or a
hand-feed tray 1036 pass over a resister roller 1037 and are
adhered to a transfer belt 1038, and thus transported. The toner
image is formed on the photosensitive drums 1017 beforehand,
synchronously with the sheet feeding timing, and the toner is
transferred onto the sheets as the sheets are transported. The
sheets to which the toner is transferred are separated, and the
toner is fixed onto the sheets by a fixing unit 1040. The sheets,
upon exiting the fixing unit 1040 are guided downwards by a
flapper, and following the trailing end passing the flapper, the
sheets are switched back and discharged. Thus, the sheets are
discharged in a face-down state, and the pages are in order in the
event of printing in order of pages.
[0103] <Configuration of Finisher Unit 209>
[0104] FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of the finisher unit. Sheets
exiting the fixing unit 940 (or 1040) of the printer unit 209 enter
the finisher unit 209. The finisher unit 209 has a sample tray 1101
and a stack tray 1102, and discharging is performed switching
according to the type of job and the number of sheets.
[0105] There are two methods for sorting: one is the bin-sorting
method wherein multiple bins are provided and the sheets are sorted
to different bins, and the other is the shift-sorting method
wherein the later-described electronic shifting functions and bins
(or trays) are shifted in the deeper or closer directions, thereby
sorting output sheets by job. The electronic sifting function are
called collating, and in the event that the large-capacity memory
described above is provided to the core unit, this buffer memory
can be used to perform collating, which is changing of the order of
pages and the discharge order buffered, and thus support electronic
sorting functions. Next, while sorting involves sorting by jobs,
group functions are functions for sorting by page.
[0106] Further, in the event of discharging to the stack tray 1102,
an arrangement may be made wherein the sheets before discharge are
accumulated by job, and are bound by a stapler 1105 immediately
before being discharged.
[0107] As for other arrangements, there is a Z-folding device 1104
and a puncher 1106 for punching two (or three) holes in the sheets
for filing, before reaching the above two trays, and processing is
performed according to the type of job.
[0108] Further, a saddle stitcher 1107 binds the center portion of
the sheets at two positions, and then folds the sheets in half by
nipping the center portions thereof with rollers, thereby
performing processing for creating booklets such as magazines or
pamphlets. The sheets bound by the saddle stitcher 1107 are
discharged to a booklet tray 1108.
[0109] In addition to this, while not shown in the drawings, it is
possible to add binding involving gluing, or trimming of the edges
following binding.
[0110] Also, an inserter 1103 sends sheets set in the tray 1110 to
one of the trays 1101, 1102, or 1108, without going through the
printer. This allows inserting sheets set in the inserter 1103
between sheets sent through the finisher 209. The user sets the
sheets in the tray 1110 of the inserter 1103 face up, and the
sheets are fed sequentially from the top by a pick-up roller 1111.
Accordingly, the sheets from the inserter 1103 are transported to
the trays 1101 and 1102 without change, and thus discharged in a
facedown manner. In the event of sending these sheets to the saddle
stitcher 1107, the sheets are sent to the puncher 1106 side and
then switched back, thereby facing the same way.
[0111] <Configuration of Document Server 102>
[0112] Next, the document server 102 will be described with
reference to FIG. 12.
[0113] Jobs input from the NIC 111 and the SCSI 114 enter the
server by an input device control unit 1201, which acts to link
various client applications to the server. PDL data and JCL (Job
Control Language) data is accepted as input. This is state
information relating to the printer and server, and corresponds to
various clients, and the output of this module serves to link all
appropriate components of PDL and JCL.
[0114] Next, an input job control unit 1202 manages lists of
requested jobs, and creates a job list for accessing individual
jobs which is handed over to the server. Further, this module has
the three functions of job routing for determining the route of the
job, job splitting for handling whether or not to divide and RIP,
and job scheduling for determining the order of jobs.
[0115] One or a plurality of rasterizing processing (RIP) units
1203 exist. These may be increased in the manner of 1203-a, 1203-b,
1203-c, and so forth, but these will be collectively denoted by
1203 here. The RIP module subjects the PDL of various jobs to RIP
processing, and creates bitmaps of appropriate sizes and
resolution. Various formats for rasterizing processing regarding
RIP processing can be used such as PostScript (a registered
trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated), PCL, TIFF, JPEG, PDF, and
so forth.
[0116] A data converting unit 1204 serves to compress the bitmap
images created by RIP and converting formats, and selects image
types optimal for each of the printers. For example, in the event
that a user desires to handle a job in increments of pages, TIFF,
JPEG, or the like bitmap data rasterized at the RIP unit has a PDF
header attached thereto, and processing is performed such as
editing of PDF data, and so forth.
[0117] An output job control unit 1205 takes the page images of the
job and manages how these will be handled based on command
settings. The pages are either printed by the printer or saved in a
hard disk 1207. Selection can be made whether or not to leave the
printed jobs on the hard disk 1207, and in the event that the jobs
are saved, these can be called up again. Further, this module
manages the mutual action between the hard disk 1207 and a RAM
1208.
[0118] An output device control unit 1206 governs which device
output is to be made to, or which devices will be clustered
(connecting multiple devices and printing all at once), and this is
sent to an interface card 112 or 113 of the selected device. Also,
this unit serves to transmit the monitoring state and device state
of the devices 104 and 105 to the document server 102.
[0119] Further, the output device control unit 1206 recognizes the
connected presence and number of later-described protectors 116 via
a server-side protector interface 115, and holds the recognition
information. Note that multiple protectors 116 can be connected
serially.
[0120] <Page Description Language (Hereafter, "PDL")>
[0121] Next, description will be made regarding PDL data. PDL,
typified by the PostScript (a registered trademark of Adobe Systems
Incorporated) language, can be classified into the following
three:
[0122] (a) Image description by character code
[0123] (b) Image description by shape code
[0124] (c) Image description by raster image data
[0125] That is to say, a PDL is a language which describes images
with a combination of the above components, and data described
thereby is referred to as PDL data.
[0126] FIG. 13A is an example describing character information
R1301. Reference numeral L1311 is a description specifying the
color of the characters, with the numbers in the parentheses
referring to the concentration of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black,
in that order. The minimum value is 0.0, and the maximum value is
1.0. L1311 specifies that the characters are to be black. Next,
L1312 substitutes the character string "IC" into a variable
String1. Next, L1313 indicates with the first and second parameters
the x coordinate and y coordinate of the starting position
coordinates on the sheet for laying out the character string, the
third parameter indicates the size of the characters, the fourth
parameter indicates the spacing between the characters, and the
fifth parameter indicates the text string to be laid out. That is
to say, L1313 is instructing that the text string "IC" be laid out
with characters of size 0.3 and spacing 0.1 from the coordinates
(0.0, 0.0).
[0127] Next, as an example wherein the shape information R1302 is
described, L1321 and 1311 specify the color of lines in the same
way, with Cyan being specified here. Next, L1322 instructs drawing
lines, wherein the first and second parameters are the starting
coordinates of the line, and the third and fourth parameters are
the end coordinates of the line, each being x-y coordinates. The
fifth parameter represents the heaviness of the line.
[0128] Further, as an example describing raster image information,
L1331 substitutes the raster image into the variable image1. Here,
the first parameter is the image type of the raster image, and the
number of color components, the second parameter represents the
number of bits per color components, and the third and fourth
parameters represent the image size in the x direction and y
direction of the raster image. The fifth parameter on is the raster
image data. The number of pieces of raster image data is the
product of the number of color components making up one pixel, and
the image size in the x direction and the y direction. With the
L1331, a CMYK image is made up of four color components (Cyan,
Magenta, Yellow, Black), so the number of pieces of raster image
data is 4.times.5.times.5=100. Next, L1332 indicates that iamge1 is
to be laid out to the size of 0.5.times.0.5 at the position of
coordinates (0.0, 0.5).
[0129] FIG. 13B illustrates the above three image descriptions
within one page being interpreted and rendered as raster image
data. R1301, R1302, and R1303 are each PDL data that has been
rendered. These sets of raster image data are actually rendered to
the RAM 1208 (or Image Disk 1207) for each of the CMYK color
components, with C=0, M=0, Y=0, K=255 being written to the RAM 1208
for each of the CMYK color components for the portion of R1301 for
example, and with C=255, M=0, Y=0, K=0 being written for the
portion of R1302.
[0130] Within the document server 102, PDL data sent from the
client 103 (or from the document server itself) is written to the
RAM 1208 (or to the Image Disk 1207) in a form rendered into a
rasterized image as described above, and saved as necessary.
[0131] <Network 101>
[0132] Next, the network 101 will be described.
[0133] As shown in FIG. 14A, the network 101 is connected to a
device called a router for mutually connecting networks, having a
configuration as shown in FIG. 1, thereby configuring another
network called a LAN (Local Area Network).
[0134] Also, a LAN 1406 is connected to a router 1405 within
another LAN 1407 through a dedicated line 1408, via an internal
router 1401. Many such networks are configured one upon another,
configuring a massive connection architecture.
[0135] Next, the data flowing through this will be described with
reference to FIG. 14B.
[0136] There is data 1421 in an originating device A (1420a). This
data may be image data, or PDL data, or a program. In the event
that this is transferred to a receiving device B (1420b) via the
network 101, the data 1421 is divided into small portions such as
conceptually represented by 1422. The divided data 1423, 1424,
1426, and so forth, has a destination address called a header 1425
attached thereto (in the event of using TCP/IP protocol, the IP
address of the destination), and these pieces of data are
sequentially sent onto the network 101 as packets 1427. Data 1432
wherein the address of the device B and a header 1431 of a packet
1430 matches is separated, and the data is restored to the state of
data in the device A.
[0137] <Protector>
[0138] Next, description will be made regarding the protector 116.
As shown in FIG. 15, a protector 116 has a memory 1501, and also
has male and female parallel/serial interfaces 1502a and 1502b,
respectively, for external access to the memory 1501. Data
indicating that this is from the present document server is written
in the memory 1501, and the data is recognized by the document
server 102 via the protector interface 1502a. That is to say, this
protector by its existence serves as a device to substantiate the
validity (hereafter referred to as "license") of use of certain
software.
[0139] Now, one protector is capable of dealing with software
licensing for one device. Accordingly, at the time of using
processing software on the document server 102 for one device, a
protector corresponding to the device must be mounted to the
document server 102.
[0140] Also, connecting another protector 116 to the protector
interface 1502b allows multiple protectors 116 to be connected.
[0141] Further, the server-side protector interface 115 can be set
so as to store all license information stored in multiple
protectors within a single protector, under instructions from a
particular administration user. Connecting a protector to the
document server 102 wherein M items of license information have
been stored yields the same effects as connecting M protectors
storing one item of license information each to the document server
102.
[0142] Also, the server-side protector interface 115 invalidates
the license information of the protectors which have handed over
the license information, when the license information of each of
the protectors is stored in the one protector. This prevents
unauthorized copying of license information.
[0143] The setting processing for such license information is
executed by a particular administrator using the keyboard and
display of the document server 102.
[0144] <Scanner Driver>
[0145] Next, description will be made regarding the scanner
driver.
[0146] FIG. 16 illustrates a GUI (Graphic User Interface) for
instructing scanning operations of a scanner driver on a computer
102 (or 103), this allowing the user to specify desired setting
parameters and to change desired images into data.
[0147] First, reference numeral 1601 denotes a scanner driver
window, and one setting item therein is a source device selecting
column 1602 for selecting an originator to serve as a target.
Generally, this is a scanner 201 or the like, but this may be
something brought from the memory 108 or taken in from a digital
camera or the like. Reference numeral 1603 denotes an item for
performing detailed settings regarding the selected source device.
Clicking on this allows input of setting information unique to the
device with a separate screen, selection of special image
processing (e.g., character mode/photograph mode), and performance
of image input by a corresponding processing mode. Next, reference
numeral 1604 denotes an image size column for determining an image
size, a resolution is input at 1605, and a color mode is selected
at 1606. Also, reference numerals 1607 through 1609 are parts
determining a size of an image area, with increments and vertical
and horizontal lengths being input.
[0148] After performing these instructions, pressing a pre-scan key
1612 sends the instructions to the device selected with the device
selecting column 1602, from the computer 102 (or 103), and image
input is started. Here, this is a pre-scan, so image reading is
performed at a resolution lower than the actual resolution, and the
obtained image is displayed as a preview image on an area 1611 of
the window 1601. A scale 1610 is displayed according to the
increment 1607 of the image area set earlier.
[0149] In the event that the user judges the preview image to be
acceptable, clicking a scan key 1613 performs scanning at the set
resolution at this time. In the event that the preview image is not
good, a pre-scan is made again for confirmation, and a cancel key
1614 is clicked in the event of canceling.
[0150] <Printer Settings>
[0151] The printer settings will be described with reference to
FIG. 17. The printer settings are made at the computer 102 (or 103)
from the GUI, thereby specifying the output destination of the
print job or the input of the scanned image at the document server
102.
[0152] First, description will be made regarding the GUI.
[0153] Reference numeral 1701 denotes a printer setting window, and
the user first selects adding 1702, modifying 1703, or deleting
1704, of printers. In the event that adding 1702 has been selected,
selection of a printer type 1705 is made, following which detailed
information according to the printer type is set. In the event that
an MFP 105 connected to the network is selected, a printer name
1906, in IP address 1707, and an installation state of finishing
options 1708 are set, following which selecting an OK key 1709 sets
registration thereof. Also, in the event that registration is to be
cancelled, the user can cancel the registration by not selecting OK
1709 but selecting a cancel key 1710 or a key 1711 for closing the
window 1701.
[0154] Modifying 1703 and deleting 1704 are also performed in the
same manner.
[0155] <Cluster Settings>
[0156] Description will be made regarding cluster settings next,
with reference to FIG. 18. With cluster settings, settings are made
regarding which printers will be set as the output destination of a
cluster (connecting multiple devices and printing all at once).
Settings are made with the computer 102 (or 103) with the GUI.
[0157] Reference numeral 1801 denotes a cluster setting window,
from which the user first selects adding 1802, modifying 1803, or
deleting 1804, of clusters. In the event that the user selects
adding 1802, a type of cluster 1805 (the method for distributing a
job) is selected. Here, job distributing 1806, copy distributing
1807, page distributing 1808, and color & B/W distributing 1809
are provided. After selecting the type of cluster, the user inputs
a cluster name 1810. Also, a list 1811 of printers which can be
registered as output destinations for clusters registered in the
printer settings is displayed, and the user checks the check boxes
of the printers to be registered as output destinations of the
cluster. Pressing an OK key 1812 registers the settings. Also, in
the event that registration is to be cancelled, the user can cancel
the registration by not selecting the OK key 1812 but selecting a
cancel key 1813 or a key 1814 for closing the window 1804.
[0158] Modifying 1803 and deleting 1804 are also performed in the
same manner.
[0159] <Printer Driver>
[0160] The process of sending image data to a printer from the
computer 102 (or 103) with a printer driver will now be described
with reference to FIG. 19. The printer driver is a GUI instructing
the printer actions, and the user can instruct desired setting
parameters by instructing using the printer driver, thus sending
desired images to destinations such as printers.
[0161] Here, reference numeral 1901 denotes the printer driver
window, wherein, as an item to be set, 1902 denotes a destination
selection column for selecting destinations to serve as targets.
Generally, these would be the above-described MFPs 104 and 105, the
printer 107, or clusters registered by cluster registering.
Reference numeral 1903 denotes a page setting column for selecting
output pages from the job, for deciding which pages of an image
created with application software that operates on the computer 102
(or 103). Reference numeral 1904 denotes a copies setting column
for setting a number of copies to be made. Also, reference numeral
1907 denotes a property setting key for inputting detailed settings
regarding the destination devices selected with the destination
selection column 1902. Clicking on this and inputting setting
information unique to that device in another screen, and setting
parameters for special image processing, such as parameters for the
gamma converting unit 702 within the printer IP unit 207 and the
spatial filter unit 703, allows even finer color reproduction and
sharpness adjusting to be performed.
[0162] Once the desired settings are made, the user presses an OK
key 1905 and printing starts. This can be cancelled by pressing a
cancel key 1906, which cancels the printing.
[0163] <Job Submitter>
[0164] The job submitter will be described with reference to FIG.
20. This is used in the same manner as with the above-described
print driver, but this is a tool for handing a file on a client 103
to the document server 102, and this differs from the above
arrangement, wherein the print driver starts an application on the
client 103 and converts that data into a format such as PS or PCL,
which is then handed to the document server 102, in that the job
submitter directly sends data of various formats to the document
server 102.
[0165] An item to be set is a destination selection column 2002 for
selecting the output destination to serve as a target. Generally,
these would be the above-described MFPs 104 and 105, the printer
107, or clusters registered by cluster registering. Reference
numeral 2005 denotes a page setting column for selecting output
pages from the device, and an arbitrary file within the computer
102 (or 103) can be selected and handed to the document server 102.
Further, there is a property key 2004 for making detailed settings.
Clicking on this brings up a job ticket menu for the next page.
Once the desired settings are made, pressing an OK key 2010
transmits the job to the document server 102, and canceling can be
made by selecting a cancel key 2011.
[0166] <Job Tickets>
[0167] Next, description of job tickets will be made with reference
to FIG. 21. Clicking the properties key of a print driver such as
that shown in FIG. 19 or a job submitter such as that shown in FIG.
20 (1907 or 2004) brings up a job ticket setting screen such as
shown in FIG. 21.
[0168] The job ticket is displayed with individual setting items
2102 corresponding to the destination 1902 or 2002 serving as a
target, in a setting screen wherein the user freely selects
functions unique to the MFPs 104 and 105 or printer 107 or the
like. At this time, the user can select arbitrary selection items
2103.
[0169] For example, ON and OFF keys are provided in the Duplex
setting column, wherein setting this to ON prints both sides of a
sheet, and setting this to OFF prints a single side of a sheet.
Note, however, that in the event that a printer that does not have
duplex printing functions is selected, an arrangement is made such
that this item is not displayed. Single-side printing is most
commonly used, so Duplex is set to OFF as a default setting.
[0170] Also, the items set here include not only finishing
functions, but also basic functions of the printer such as image
processing parameters, number of copies, sheet size, etc., can be
selected and modified.
[0171] Once the desired settings are completed, clicking on an the
OK key 2104 returns to the job submitter screen, and this can be
cancelled by pressing a cancel key 2105.
[0172] <Device Status>
[0173] A standardized database called a MIB (Management Information
Base) is configured within the network interface unit of the MFPs
104, 105, and printer 107, communicating with computers on the
network via a network management protocol called SNMP (Simple
Network Management Protocol), which enables exchange of necessary
information regarding the state of devices connected to the network
such as the MFPs 104 and 105 with the computer 102 (or 103).
[0174] For example, this allows detecting what sort of finisher 210
with what functions is connected, as the mounting information of
the MFPs 104 and 105, whether or not errors or jamming are
currently occurring, as status information, and whether in a
printing or idle state, i.e., this enables obtaining of a device
state, and a network settings job history, as well as management of
a usage state, control, and other such static data.
[0175] FIG. 22 is a GUI (Graphic User Interface) of a utility
representing a device status. For example, in the event that a tab
2202 of the MFP 105a is selected, the device mounting information
of the MFP 105a is depicted by graphics 2203, and the state of the
device can be judged with displayed information 2204 and 2205 as
well.
[0176] <Job Status>
[0177] A job status screen 2301 will be described with reference to
FIG. 23. Three statuses are shown in the job status screen 2301,
which are a job status 2302 for knowing a state of the job within
the document server, a print status 2303 for notifying a state of
the job handed to the printer, and a finished job 2304 which
provides a history of a completed job.
[0178] The job status 2302 is represented as either "Waiting"
(before RIP) or "Ripping" (after RIP), and following RIP this is
handed to the subsequent print status.
[0179] The print status 2303 is in a normal state represented as
"Waiting" (standing by for printing) or "Printing", and in the
event that an error or jam occurs, a display is made to that
effect, and following printing, this is handed to the subsequent
finished job.
[0180] The finished job status 2304 allows the user to see the
history of the job, and in the event that the job has finished
normally, "Printed" is displayed, and in the event that the job has
been cancelled before completion, "Cancelled" is displayed.
[0181] <Job Distributing>
[0182] Next, a case wherein color images and B/W images exist in
the same job will be described with reference to FIG. 24. At this
time, the printer selection is made for color & B/W cluster
printing from either a driver or the Destination in the job
submitter, from the document server 102 of the client 103. The job
is then sent to the document server 102.
[0183] The sent job is temporarily spooled in step S2401, and a
processing order is determined in step S2402 with consideration
given to job priority and the like. In step S2404, in the event
that the sent job has been manually set to either an all-color job
or an all-B/W job, the flow proceeds to step S2414. Further, in the
event that the overall job instructs B/W RIP, B/W RIP is performed
(S2415) and in the event that this instructs color RIP, color RIP
is performed (S2416), whereby B/W jobs are output to a B/W MFP 105
and color jobs are output to a color MFP 105, and thus printed.
[0184] On the other hand, in the event that Auto is specified in
step S2404, the flow divides at whether or not there has been page
specification made (step S2405), and in the event that this is
Manual, the flow proceeds to step S2403. In step S2403, first, the
job is converted into a format managed in increments of pages, so
that the sent job can be RIPped in increments of pages. Here, the
job is converted to a PDF (Portable Data Format) file. Next, pages
wherein B/W pages have been instructed are subjected to B/W RIP
(step S2410), and pages wherein color pages have been instructed
are subjected to color RIP (step S2411), as specified in increments
of pages beforehand. This task is performed to the end page, then
proceeds to the job output control unit step S2407, the output
device control step S2408 is executed, and the B/W pages are output
to the B/W MFP 105 and the color pages are output to the color MFP
104, respectively.
[0185] <Cluster Printing>
[0186] Cluster printing is a method wherein printing is performed
from multiple connected printers all at once, and is an action
wherein, for example, printing is made from the document server 102
to four B/W MFPs (105a through 105d) or a color MFP 104 and B/W MFP
105, simultaneously.
[0187] With a job having both color and B/W, and which has been
distributed for respective color and B/W RIP, the destinations,
i.e., the color MFP 104 and B/W MFP 105 are determined by the
output device control unit (1206 in FIG. 12), and the job is sent
to the respective printers, where output is performed.
[0188] This clustering printing may be performed by clusters of
multiple B/W printers, clusters of multiple color printers, or
clusters of one or multiple color printers and one or multiple B/W
printers.
[0189] <Job Splitting>
[0190] Further, in the event of performing cluster printing, there
are the following three methods for distributing data.
[0191] (a) Job distributing: A load-balancing method wherein idle
printers are found and job 1 is distributed to MFP 105a, job 2 is
distributed to MFP 105b, and so forth, so that all printers have an
even quantity of jobs appropriated thereto and the number of jobs
in a waiting state is reduced as much as possible.
[0192] (b) Copy distributing: A method wherein the copies of one
job are evenly output by clustered printers (in the event that the
number cannot be perfectly divided, the remainder is appropriated
accordingly).
[0193] (c) Page distributing: A method wherein the pages of a
single job are evenly output by clustered printers (in the event
that the number cannot be perfectly divided, the remainder is
appropriated accordingly).
[0194] Next, an example according to the present embodiment will be
described wherein, in the event that software is illegitimately
copied to other computers, the image forming devices are prevented
from printing.
[0195] <Adding Printers>
[0196] Now, description will be made regarding a case wherein the
user selects adding 1702 from the printer setting screen 1701, with
reference to FIG. 25A.
[0197] In the event that the user selects the adding key 1702, in
step S2501 the document server 102 displays a list of printers
corresponding to the document server within the printer setting
screen 1701. Next, the user selects a key 1705 for the type of
printer to add, and a screen for setting detailed information
according to the type of selected printer comes up.
[0198] Then, the user sets detailed information, and when the OK
key 1709 is clicked in step S2503, the output device control unit
1206 judges whether or not the printer regarding which adding has
been requested is connected to the general-purpose interface
network, and whether it is an MFP 105 that requires one protector
per printer.
[0199] In the event that judgement is made in step S2503 that the
printer requires a protector, the output device control unit 1206
confirms the number of protectors 116 connected, and whether or not
data is written to the memory 1501 for each of the protectors 116
that the protectors are protectors of the present document server,
via the server-side protector interface 115, and also confirms the
number of MFPs 105 which can be registered as printing destinations
of the document server 102 (hereafter referred to as "number of
licenses for MFPs 105"). The number of licenses for MFPs 105
recognized in step S2504 is compared with the number of MFPs 105 in
the output device administration table stored in the RAM 1208
(hereafter referred to as "number of registered MFPs 105"), by the
output device control unit 1206 in step S2505.
[0200] Now, as shown in FIG. 26, the output device administration
table is a data group made up of the printer type 2602, name 2603,
and detailed information 1604 such as finishing options according
to the type and installation states of the printers registered as
the printing destinations of the document server 102 in the printer
settings.
[0201] Then, in step S2505, in the event that judgement is made
that the number of registered MFPs 105 is less than the number of
licenses, in step S2506 the specified printer is added to the
output device administration table 2601 in the RAM along with the
detailed information thereof, and the MFP 105 is registered anew as
a printing destination of the document server 201.
[0202] On the other hand, in step S2505, in the event that
judgement is made that the number of registered MFPs 105 is equal
to the number of licenses, or that the number of registered MFPs
105 is more than the number of licenses, a screen such as shown in
FIG. 27 is displayed in step S2507, to the extent that the number
of licenses for MFPs 105 is insufficient, thus prompting the user
to add more protectors or to delete a registered MFP 105.
[0203] In the event that judgement is made in step S2503 that
protectors are not required, the set printer is added to the output
device administration table 2601 in step S2506, and this is
registered as a printing destination of the document server
102.
[0204] <Modifying Printers>
[0205] Description will be made regarding a case wherein the user
selects the modifying key 1703 from the printer setting screen
1701, with reference to FIG. 25B.
[0206] In the event that the user selects the modifying key 1703,
in step S2521 the document server 102 displays a list of printers
corresponding to the document server within the printer setting
screen 1701.
[0207] The user selects a desired printer from the list of printers
displayed, and a screen for setting detailed information for the
printer selected in step S2522 comes up, as with 1706 through
1708.
[0208] Next, after the detailed information has been modified in
step S2523, once the user selects the OK key 1709 the output device
control unit 1206 updates the output device administration table
2601 based on the modified contents, in step S2524.
[0209] <Deleting Printers>
[0210] Description will be made regarding a case wherein the user
selects the deleting key 1704 from the printer setting screen 1701,
with reference to FIG. 25C.
[0211] In the event that the user selects the deleting key 1704, in
step S2541 the document server 102 displays a list of printers
registered with the output device administration table 2601 within
the printer setting screen 1701.
[0212] In step S2542, the user selects a desired printer from the
list of registered printers displayed, and once the user selects
the OK key 1709, in step S2543 the output device control unit 1206
deletes the printer regarding which deletion has been instructed,
from the output device administration table 2601.
[0213] Thus, allowing only a number of MFPs 105 corresponding to
the number of protectors prevents software having server functions
or controller functions being illegitimately copied and printing
being performed on image forming devices.
[0214] (Second Embodiment)
[0215] <Printing Jobs>
[0216] An example of a job being printed with an image forming
system according to a second embodiment will be described with
reference to FIGS. 28A and 28B.
[0217] After starting up the document server 102, in step S2801 the
output device control unit 1206 confirms the number of protectors
116 connected, and whether or not data is written to the memory
1501 in each of the protectors 116 that the protectors are
protectors of the present document server, via the server-side
protector interface 115, and confirms the number of licenses for
MFPs 105.
[0218] The number of licenses for MFPs 105 recognized in step S2801
is compared with the number of MFPs 105 in the output device
administration table stored in the RAM 1208 by the output device
control unit 1206.
[0219] In step S2802, in the event that judgement is made that the
number of licenses M for MFPs 105 is less than the number N of
registered MFPs 105, in step S2803 the output device control unit
1206 makes description to the effect that of the MFPs 105 in the
output device administration table 2601, M units have licenses, and
N minus M units do not have licenses, and initializes the license
information of the output device administration table 2601.
[0220] Here, for example, in the event that the number of licenses
M for the MFPs 105 is three, and the number of MFPs 105 is four,
description is made that there are licenses for three (M)
arbitrarily selected MFPs 105, and that one (N-M) MFP 105 does not
have a license. Here, the three first MFPs 105 in the output device
administration table 2601 are set to have licenses, but which of
the MFPs 105 are to be appropriated licenses can be arbitrarily
decided.
[0221] Also, in step S2802, in the event that judgement is made
that the number of licenses is equal to or more than the number of
registered MFPs 105 all registered MFPs 105 have licenses in step
S2803.
[0222] In step S2804, following a predetermined amount of time (5
seconds in this case), the output device control unit 1206
recognizes the number of licensees for MFPs 105 again in step
S2805, and again in step S2806 compares the number of licensees for
MFPs 105 with the number of registered MFPs 105. Then, in step
S2807, the contents of the output device administration table 2601
are updated by the output device control unit 1206 in the same
manner as with step S2803. The series of steps S2804 through S2807
is repeated until the document server 102 is shut down. Thus, the
licensing state at the document server 102 is constantly monitored,
and the state thereof is reflected in the output device
administration table 2601.
[0223] Also, the user is notified of MFPs 105 without licenses by
making a display on the device status screen such as shown in FIG.
30.
[0224] Next, description will be made regarding a case of the
document server 102 outputting print jobs.
[0225] As described in the first embodiment, the document server
102 follows instructions contained in jobs handed by a driver or
job submitter within the document server 102 or client 103 so that
the job is rendered to a bitmap having a resolution corresponding
to the output device at the rasterizing processing (RIP) unit, and
output to the specified printer is performed by the output device
control unit 1206.
[0226] Now, the operation of the output device control unit 1206 at
the time of output to the printer will be described with reference
to FIG. 28B.
[0227] In step S2821, the output device control unit 1206 that has
been instructed to output the job (printing) analyzes which printer
to make output to. Then, in step S2822, judgment is made whether to
perform output to multiple clustered printers as the output
destination thereof, or whether to make output to a single printer
(not clustered). In the event that judgement is made in step S2822
that cluster output is to be performed, in step S2823 the output
device control unit 1206 judges from which of the clustered
printers output is to be made, based on the job instructions, and
confirmation is made in step S2824 whether or not there are any
MFPs 105 needing licenses in the printers judged in step S2823. In
the event that judgment is made in step S2824 that there are MFPs
105 needing licenses, output of jobs appropriated to the printers
which do not need licenses is started in step S2825, the one or
multiple MFPs 105 at issue are checked against the output device
administration table 2601 which reflects the constantly-monitored
license state of each in step S2826, thereby judging whether or not
there are licenses. The jobs appropriated to the MFPs 105 that have
been judged to not have licenses are stopped in step S2827, and the
user is notified that there are not enough licenses with a job
status screen such as shown in 3101 in FIG. 31. Subsequently, the
output device administration table 2601 is monitored in step S2828,
and printing is started in step S2829 as soon as the licenses are
obtained.
[0228] Also, MFPs 105 which are judged to have licenses in step
S2826 output the jobs appropriated by the output device control
unit 1206, in step S2829.
[0229] In the event that a printer is judged to not need a license
in step S2824, the printer outputs the job appropriated thereto in
step S2825.
[0230] On the other hand, in the event that there is output to a
single printer in S2822, in step S2830 judgment is made whether or
not the printer is a printer needing a license, and in the event
that judgment is made that the printer is an MFP 105 needing a
license, the printer is checked against the output device
administration table 2601 which reflects the constantly-monitored
license state in step S2831, thereby judging whether or not there
is a license. In the event that judgment is made that there is no
license, output of the job is stopped in step S2827 by the output
device control unit 1206, the output device administration table
2601 is monitored in step S2828, and printing is started in step
S2829 as soon as the licenses are obtained. In the event that a job
is judged to be to a printer that does not need a license in step
S2830, the output device control unit 1206 outputs the job to the
corresponding printer in step S2825.
[0231] According to this method as well, printing is only performed
with MFPs 105 as far as the number of protectors allows, so
unauthorized copying of software of the server functions or
controller functions being used to print with image forming devices
can be prevented.
[0232] As described above, according to the above embodiments,
security of software having server functions or controller
functions can be protected, since even in the event that software
having server functions or controller functions is illegitimately
copied to other computers, printing by image forming apparatus
connected via general-purpose interfaces can be prevented.
[0233] The present invention can also be achieved by an arrangement
wherein a storing medium storing software program code for
realizing the functions of the above embodiments is supplied to a
system or device, and the system or device computer (or CPU or MPU)
is operated according to the program code stored in the storing
medium.
[0234] In this case, the program code itself read out from the
storing medium realizes the functions of the above-described
embodiments, and the storing medium storing the program code
comprises the present invention. Examples of storing mediums which
can be used for storing the program code include floppy disks, hard
disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs,
magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory cards, ROM, and so forth.
[0235] Also, the present invention encompasses cases not only where
the computer executing the supplied program code manifests the
functions of the above embodiments, but also where the operating
system or the like running on the computer performs part or all of
the actual processing according to the instructions of the program
code, thereby manifesting the functions of the above
embodiments.
[0236] Further, the scope of the present invention also encompasses
arrangements wherein the supplied program code is written to memory
provided to expansion boards or function expansion units inserted
into the computer, following which a CPU or the like provided to
the function expansion boards or function expansion units performs
all or part of the actual processing based on instructions of the
program code, so as to realize the functions of the above
embodiments thereby.
[0237] As described above, according to the present invention,
unauthorized use of software having server functions or controller
functions can be effectively prevented.
[0238] While the present invention has been described with
reference to what are presently considered to be the preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not
limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the
invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended
claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the
broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and equivalent structures and functions.
* * * * *